1. Field of the Invention
The current invention relates to handheld electric mixers and more particularly to variable speed handheld electric mixers.
2. Background Information
Handheld electric mixers consist of a housing with an uppermost handle and a pair of downwardly extending rotational output spindles that removeably receive work pieces for mixing, beating, blending and or whipping food items or recipe constituents. The spindles are driven by a variable speed motor located in the housing via a reduction gear-box. The electronic variable speed control can be a continuous type, in more expensive mixers, or a stepped speed control, comprising typically 3 stepped speeds, in less expensive mixers. Both speed control methods vary voltage to control the motor speed. Less expensive universal motors often used in such mixers might have a narrow speed torque range and so exhibit poor voltage speed control over the full speed range of the motor. This limits versatility of the mixer which ideally should be able to achieve very low mixer speeds for preparation of delicate food items or recipe constituents through to very high mixing speeds for thoroughly mixing, blending, beating, whipping or otherwise food items or recipe constituents.